The Shadows
by Daystrid Hofferson
Summary: Hiccup Haddock is the heir to his tribe, but doesn't want to stay on Berk, while war rages between them and the Outcasts miles away on Outcast Isle. His friends are all pursuing their dreams, two of them joining the military. He wants to as well, but his father has to okay it first. Will Stoick okay his only son to go join the war, or will Hiccup be stuck on Berk? *Don't own Httyd*
1. The Decision

**Hey peoples! So here's that new story!**

 **I've got some scattered ideas for this one, so I'm gonna try and update this every other week, opposite Hofferson Sisters.**

 **So that's all for now... ON WITH THE STORY!**

"Have you thought about what you're going to do with your life, son?" Dad asked me. It's my last day of high school, and I'd just come downstairs for breakfast. "I haven't heard you say anything about it since your freshman year."

"Oh, yeah," I started. "Yeah, uh, still thinking about doing the same thing as I wanted back then, ya know…" I was lying, just thought you should know.

"Oh, okay."

At that moment mom walked in. _Oh thank Thor. I don't know how much longer I would have been able to keep up talking about that lie._

"Ready for your last day of high school, son?" Mom asked, as I picked up my bag and instrument. I really only needed my instrument, but with my bag I had my drawing stuff… I wasn't going to be able to get through the day without that.

I left the house, deciding to walk to school, it was only a few blocks away.

When I got to school, the first thing I did was find my friends. We were the strangest group of people that could ever be friends. There was Snotlout Jorgenson, the jock, captain of the football team; Fishlegs Ingerman, the nerd; the Thorston twins, Ruffnut and Tuffnut, the biggest pranksters the school had ever seen; Astrid Hofferson, the athlete, and my girlfriend, might I add. And, of course, there was me, the biggest music geek in the school. Together the six of us made up 'The Gang.'

My life at school had been a nightmare until the end of freshman year. The people who are now my friends, picked on me, Snot actually beat me up once or twice. I was the nobody, the one no one wanted to be friends with. After my accident that year, everybody saw me different, and my life was turned upside down. People who didn't want to even try and see me different, started referring to me as 'the one-legged weird guy, who thinks playing the violin in marching band is cool.' Yep, that's right, I play the violin... in a band.

"Hey H, looks like you made it home in one piece after last night!" Tuff shouted as I got closer.

"Yep, how much trouble did you two get in?" I asked him and Ruff, remembering last night. Thinking about it made me wonder why Dad hadn't said anything at breakfast this morning.

We'd gone to "visit" the main factory on Berk last night, which just so happened to be a chocolate factory. Unfortunately we'd been seen, and had to make a break for it. Snot, Fish, Astrid, and I had been able to jump the chain-link fence surrounding the factory, while the twins had not. The four of us had left them behind, as usual, and they'd had to face the consequences. I usually heard about our adventures from Dad the next morning, as he was usually one of the ones that caught the twins.

"Eh, surprisingly we got away with only 4 hours of community service… like usual," Ruff replied.

"Yeah, your dad didn't look to happy with us last night. He say anything this morning?" Tuff asked.

"No, I didn't realize it till I got here, but I'm surprised he didn't."

At that moment, the bell rang, telling us seniors to get to what would usually be our last class of the day, as it was finals. For me, that was band. See why I only needed my violin. We all went our separate ways, ready to fall asleep during our hour and a half eighth hour final.

***an hour and a half later***

So I made it through my band final in one piece… we didn't do anything in class except run through the songs that they're playing for the parades this summer. My director looked like she was about to cry when she told us to put our instruments away. I knew she loved the sound of the violin, so real quickly, I walked over to a couple of my friends, Heather and Dagur. Heather was a percussionist, Dagur was the bass guitarist of the band. All three of us were seniors.

"Hey guys, you wanna make Ms. Ack smile?"

The two siblings looked at me. "What do you have it mind, brother?" Dagur asked. I was what he called his honorary brother… whatever that meant.

"What's her favorite song?"

"Easy. Roundtable Rival by Lindsey Stirling." Heather replied.

"Exactly. And it only needs the three of us." I said, holding up my violin. It was in its case, but it didn't take long to take it out.

"What are we waiting for?!" Dagur exclaimed, just as the bell rang. "Well…"

"Hang on… we can still play it for her." I said.

"I would've thought you three seniors would have been the first out the door. You're done with high school," Mrs. Ack said, turning to us.

"Oh… we just, uh wanted to play something for you. Since you won't have us in class anymore." Dagur replied, taking out his bass guitar.

*10 minutes later*

I was packing up my violin. The three of us playing that song had our teacher in tears.

"I'm gonna miss you guys," she said, throwing her arms around us.

The gang had shown up while we were playing. They were standing in the doorway, waiting for me. I said bye to Heather, Dagur, and Mrs. Ack, and joined my friends.

We could all go home, school was done for the day. But we were all gonna hang out, so that we could talk about what we were gonna do. The 6 of us ended up at the park on the city's borders.

"So what are we all planning on doing now that we've graduated?" Snot asked.

"Well, we technically haven't graduated yet, Snotlout. Graduation is tomorrow." Fish corrected.

"Okay, but I still want to know what everybody's doing with their lives. I'm going into the military. I'm really only hoping that I don't get stuck with my dad as my commanding officer… that would suck." Snotlout seemed pretty confident with saying that.

"Okay, so, I don't really get a say in what I'm doing, my dad wants me to do this, and I'm not happy about it." Astrid looked at me.

"What do you mean?" I wasn't liking where she was going with this.

"My dad wants me to go out to the base on Outcast Isle with him. He says he can make sure I'm safe there, but…" Astrid paused. I could that she didn't want to keep going.

"Hey, it's okay. We'll see that you have the best time with us before you leave, okay?" I said wrapping my arm around her shoulders.

She nodded, and laid her head on my shoulder.

"Okay, uh…" Fish seemed like he should go next, but wasn't sure how to speak after what Astrid had just said.

"It's okay, Fish, what are you doing after we graduate?" I asked.

"Well, I'm, um, going to Berk University, starting in the fall." That figures. He always seemed like he would keep going with school, but so did I, and I'm not.

"So what are you two doing?" I asked the twins, wanting to stall as much as possible.

"We're splitting up. Tuff is going to join the military, and I don't know what I'm going to do." Ruff replied.

"Tuff's gonna join the military? He can't even jump a short chain link fence!" Snot exclaimed.

"So, Hiccup are you still planning on going into a career in music?" Fish asked.

"Uhhh…" I was in luck, my phone rang just as I was trying to figure out what to tell them. I'd decided that I wanted to join the military at the end of sophomore year. However, nobody knew.

My phone had been my mom telling me that I needed to come home. I left my friends, hoping they wouldn't press the subject anymore.

*the next Monday*

So today was rough. I didn't know what to do, so I pretty much just helped mom out around the house while Dad was at work. I got a text around noon saying Ruff had decided that she wanted to become a professional singer. Interesting choice, not what I was expecting.

Astrid came over just after diner tonight, looking very unhappy. She said we needed to talk, and my first thought was, uh-oh what did I do?

"Hiccup, I'm leaving tomorrow morning. Sooner than I thought."

"What are you saying, Ast?"

"I'm saying we have to break up, but I don't want to!" She threw her arms around me, crying. I hugged her tight, not wanting to let her go. I understood what she meant, and felt that I needed to tell her what I was planning on doing.

She pulled away too quickly for my liking, and ran off. I ran after her trying to keep up, even though I knew it was never gonna happen. Ever since my accident, she'd become faster than me.

I headed back in the house, ignoring my parents questions as to what had happened. I'd made my decision: I was running away to join the military, and no one could stop me.

 **So how was that? For a first chapter, I mean? I'll have another one out in a couple weeks, or I'll try at least.**

 **Until next week...  
**

 **Daystrid out!  
*wanders away to go write some more random stuff***


	2. Hiccup's Missing

**Hey peoples! So here's the new chapter! It's a little short...but I got stuck after this, and figured this was a good place to stop the chapter.**

 **So, anyways...ON WITH THE STORY!**

***Stoick's POV***

I was just about to head out for work, when I noticed someone missing from the kitchen. Hiccup should have been there, on his phone, like he always was.

"Hey Val, have you seen Hiccup this morning?" I asked my wife, who was watching the news.

"Wha-? No, I haven't, Stoick. Are you sure he didn't just sleep in?"

"I'm sure. He hasn't done that since he was little." I was a bit worried now. I wandered up the stairs and down the hallway to Hiccup's room. The door was closed which usually meant that he was doing something and wanted to be left alone.

I knocked, and when there was no answer, opened the door. He wasn't there. His room was spotless, well, save for his desk. Hiccup was terrible at keeping his room clean, so this was a surprise. That's when I noticed a piece of paper lying on his bed. I went over and picked it up, and was shocked by what it said.

 _ **Mom and Dad-**_

 _ **I'm sorry I had to do this, but I knew that there was no way you were going to let me do what I wanted to. I've run away, please don't look for me.**_

 _ **I know that I'm not fully an adult yet, won't be for another year, but I'll be fine on my own.**_

 _ **By the time you get this letter, I'll be on the other side of town, at least.**_

 _ **Please don't come looking for me,**_

 _ **Hiccup**_

He was gone, and he wasn't coming home. _He mentioned not letting him do what he wanted. What did he mean by that?_

I went downstairs to give Val the letter, and tell her what happened. She looked up as I came back into the kitchen, probably expecting to see Hiccup with me.

"He's gone, Val. He ran away." I handed her the letter that I had found on Hiccup's bed. I watched as she read it, watched as she started to cry, but tried to hide it. "Don't worry, Val. We'll find him."

***Hiccup's POV***

So running away was easier than I thought. Except, knowing my Dad, he's going to come looking for me, even though I asked him not to. I'm only 18, to be a legal adult, I have to be 19, at least here on Berk, I do.

I'd gone and signed up for the military today. They knew who I was, which didn't surprise me. Everybody knows me. But they reminded me of something that I'd forgotten about. My dad, the chief, had to okay me joining the military, and leaving the island. I'm hoping that I don't have to deal with that until later.

 **So , again, sorry for the short chapter. The next one will be longer, I promise.**

 **Daystrid out!  
*sits down with laptop and tries to start next chapter***


	3. Six Months Later

**Hey peoples! So haven't updated this story in a while. I had ideas, just no where to go, and I finally figured it out so I know what I'm doing again.**

 **Anyway, if you haven't read the new chapter in Hofferson Sisters, or just don't read that story, I'll say this here too:  
** **I recently started yet another story, and by recent, I mean June. I had this great idea and everything, and I've got ideas for later on in the story, but I'm currently having trouble getting it going. The story is currently only 6 chapters and I haven't touched it in about a month. The reason I'm telling you this is because I need help. Please comment your answer to this, I'll check the comments in a week to determine what I'm doing. Do you think that I should continue it, or end it right where it is? I wasn't planning on posting it until I had it complete, but I might.** **  
**

 **So, that's that...**

 **ON WITH THE STORY!**

It's been 6 months since Hiccup had run away, and there was no word of where he'd gone. I walked into my office and sat down at my desk. Laying on my desk were release papers. Something I would have to sign to allow Hiccup to leave the island as part of the military. _Hiccup joined the military? That's the only reason I'd be seeing these._

I stood up and walked out of my office to talk to Gobber, who worked part-time as my secretary.

"Hey Gobber?"

"Yeah, Chief?"

"You, uh, hear from Hiccup at all lately?"

"Not since he ran away, I would have told yeh if I had."

"Okay." I turned around and sat back down at my desk. A note on the papers caught my eye as I sat down.

 _ **Chief-**_

 _ **He told me not to tell you he was here until this step, and I respected his wishes. If you would like to talk to him, give me a call and I'll send him down.**_

 _ **-Jorgenson**_

 _So that's why I didn't know about this before._ I picked up the phone on my desk and called General Jorgenson. I didn't know why he'd respected Hiccup's wishes, but I really needed to talk to Hiccup, and ask him why he didn't tell Val and I what he was doing.

 _"Hello?"_

"Spitelout! Just the man I wanted to talk to!"

 _"Oh, um, hello, Chief. I'm assuming you got my note?"_

"Yes. Would you be able to send Hiccup up here? I need to speak with him."

 _"Not a problem, Chief. I'll send him over right away."_

He hung up and I put the phone down. I'd hopefully have the answers I wanted in a few minutes.

* * *

"Haddock!"

 _Uh, oh. What did I do now?_ General Jorgenson was my uncle, and I swear he hated me. He yelled at me for practically everything, even though I was the best in my class.

I walked over to him, before he could yell for me again.

"Your father would like to speak with you. I want you to go there immediately."

"Yes, sir." I knew this was coming. Dad wouldn't sign the release papers without talking to me first.

* * *

A knock at the door told me someone was there. _Hopefully Hiccup._

"It's open!" I called.

The door opened, and Hiccup came in. It was a good thing that I knew my son as well as I did, or I might have not recognized him. His hair was shorter than it had been when I'd last seen him, and he was taller.

"You wanted to talk to me?" he asked, closing the door behind him. I stood up as he walked over to my desk, walked around it and wrapped my arms around him. It'd been six long months since I'd seen him, and while what I wanted to talk to him about didn't please me in the slightest, at least I now knew that he was safe.

I pulled away, and the look on his face told me that he was shocked, but the look quickly vanished, as he spoke again, "You wanted to talk to me?" His expression was stoic, as was his tone. Six months ago, he wouldn't have done that.

"Yes," I started. "Son, why did you do this?"

"Do what?"

"Run away, join the military," a look of realization started to cross my son's face, "not tell your mother and I what you wanted to do. Hiccup, you plain out lied to us."

"Dad… what would you have done if I told you that I wanted to join the military?" he paused, then continued before I could say anything. "You would have said no, that it'd be too dangerous, that I wouldn't fit in, that I wouldn't be able to be helpful. I think we both know that six months ago, I would never have been able to defend myself, at all."

"You're right, son. I would have said no, but only because I knew you wouldn't be able to defend yourself and I didn't want you to become war-hardened. Your current position in the country could do that already… Son, I would have done it to protect you." While he had appeared to be mad at me when I said that he had been right about me saying no, but that anger dissipated and was replaced by his stoic expression once more.

"What are you going to do now?" Hiccup gestured to the release papers still laying on my desk.

"I was going to say no, unless you can convince me otherwise.

"How the Hel am I supposed to ffff- do that?"

"Can you defend yourself?"

"Yes."

"What was your score on the protocol test?"

"What do you think?" Hiccup deadpanned.

"Answer the question, Hiccup."

"You could seriously just look it up."

"Hiccup…"

"Fine… 50 out of 50. Does that surprise you?"

To be honest, it really didn't surprise me, but I wasn't ready to let him go. I didn't believe that he could defend himself.

"Dad, please," Hiccup tried. "You've seen how Snotlout fights, right? He's been challenging me and just about everybody in our class to fight since we started high school."

"Yes, I have seen him fight. And he could take you down in 30 seconds flat." _Where is he going with this?_

"Used to. It's almost the exact opposite now, Dad. If I can take Snot down, I should be able to defend myself, right? At least in your eyes?"

 _Well, I've got to admit,_ that _surprises me. He doesn't seem like he's exaggerating either, and he wouldn't about this. "Alright, I'll sign the forms, but on one condition."_

"Okay…"

"If you leave the island, you write once a week and let me know if you can't, otherwise, I want to see you at least once a month. Understand?"

"Understand." Hiccup turned to leave the office, thinking we were done with this conversation. He paused and turned back towards me.

"Dad?"

"Yes, son."

"Can-can you, uh, not tell Mom about this? It'll just make her worry."

"She's already worried about you, son. You ran away."

Hiccup sighed. "I figured, just please don't tell her."

"Then what am I supposed to tell her? That I saw you today, you're fine, but you don't want to come home? She's not gonna like that."

"Just don't mention that you saw me today."

"You're asking me to lie to her." A confused look crossed Hiccup's face, so I continued. "She asks if I heard anything about you when I get home, every night. Telling her that I've heard nothing when she asks tonight, would be lying to her."

"Dad, please?"

"Fine, but you _are_ going to tell her eventually."

"Yeah, I was going to… eventually."

"You better."

" _I will._ " Hiccup paused, "Is-is that all you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Yes, I'll see you whenever then, son?"

"Uhhhh… yeah. See you whenever, Dad." And with that, he left my office, leaving me unsure of when I would see him again.

* * *

As I shut the door to Dad's office, I breathed a sigh of relief. I'd been expecting an argument, instead all I'd had to do was answer a few questions.

"Hiccup?" I jumped, turning towards the voice. Gobber, I'd forgotten that he worked part-time as Dad's secretary. He hadn't been there when I'd gotten here, though.

"H-hey Gobber. Um, nice to see you?" I wasn't sure what to say. I hadn't seen him since graduation, and he was probably as worried about me as my parents.

"You bet it's nice to see ya, lad! I was so worried about ya when yer dad said you'd run away."

I chuckled nervously, _Of course he was,_ "Yeah, uh, I gotta go, so I'll see ya around, okay?"

"Okay, lad." I knew Gobber wouldn't press it. Once I'd joined Snot's gang in high school, he'd gotten used to me having to head out, even if I'd just seen him.

I left the building where my dad's office was and walked back to the military academy. I didn't know when I'd see Dad again, or even if I would. I'd graduate from the academy in two days, and then would probably be sent to the base on Outcast Isle with everyone else. Only the older, more experienced soldiers stayed on Berk to defend it.

 **So, no guarantee on when I'll update again, hopefully soon, but ya never know, I have a pretty crazy schedule.**

 **So, well...**

 **Daystrid out!  
*closes tab before I can get yelled at by a teacher***


End file.
